New Exciting Project - Please Read I need your help!

Hey guys,

So I am currently REALLY excited.

Here's why.

So hopefully you've read my last post about "The Oceanic Six", if not this will make less sense.

Recdently I've been looking for opportunitites to write on the internet for some practice.
Yesterday my brain went "bing" and I had an idea.

The idea is to create a blog where I write about bands who have an affiliation with Youtube. There are a stack of good bands all over Youtube and my idea is to provide a site where Youtbube lovers can go and see band reviews.

Here's the epic awesome part:
I emailed Luke Conard of "Oceanic Six" and told him of my plan. I asked if I could interview the band and review them as my first article.

He replied this morning eager to help :D

So, what can you do?
Well, when I make the Blog I'll post it up here. Your job is to join and tell others to join so this isn't a massive flop. Also, if you can comment on the blogs once they're up, that would be awesome. Even if it's something stupid.
Please join even if you don't like the idea, just so it's not me there with a bunch of reviews by myself, and once other people I don't know join, you can totally leave.

Additionally, once I write about "The Oceanic Six" (again on my other blog) go to their site and tell them where you heard about them.

This is Luke Conard (2600 subscribers) and his GF Kristina Horner (30 000 subscribers)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d27qTpzBHKs

This is "The Oceanic Six" on Myspace.
www.myspace.com/theoceanicsixmusic

The Oceanic Six

"Hey, let's make a Harry Potter themed band"
"Dude, it's been done."
"Lord of the Rings?"
"Done!"
"Dr. Who?"
"Yeah, and go up against Chameleon Circuit? sure."
*thinks*
"I've got it.

Lost."

That's right, "The Oceanic Six" is a "Lost" themed band, and if you're not a "Lost" fan, may as well stop reading now because we're about to get lost.

I stumbled upon this band through Youtube - so you know their awesome.
I'm subscribed to Kristina Horner (http://www.youtube.com/user/italktosnakes) which posted a video of her and her BF Luke Conard singing an epic Ron/Hermione duet (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d27qTpzBHKs)

I then subscribed to Luke Conard (http://www.youtube.com/user/lukeconard) who is in The Oceanic Six. Sorry if you're confused but we are talking "Lost" here, there's not really any other way to do it.

Okay, down to the band stuff.

Just as they claim to be, they're a mix of Electronica, Powerpop and Rock but don't let that description put you off if you're not into that scene. Still make sure you check them out if you're into Lost, and even if you're not.


Some of their songs include:
"Invisable Others"
"They Took My Son"
and "Mr. Eko""

My personal fave is "Good Morning Charlie" and here's a bit of the lyrics (which are all posted up so you can read along as you listen)

Good morning Charlie
This is Claire from flight 815
We're going to
crash but
The island is not what it seems

It's a chance to change
Remake your life

You'll kick the heroin
We'll fall in love

This is where we begin
Put the past behind us
What's done is done.

Also make sure to check out "Henry Gale" which is great to listen musically and is also pretty funny.
Not my usual style of music but they're talented with the computer, you gotta admit that. And their songs are genius.

This is an awesome band, and I was their 176th friend - and a band with less myspace friends than me is a little sad. So listen and tell your other "Lost"-loving friends and hopefully we can boost their egos a little.

Everything that i did
I did for the island
They just dont
understand

Jack, don't make that call,
it's the beginning of the end
Liar, Ben you're a liar

http://www.myspace.com/theoceanicsixmusic

out with the old, in with the music.

So I realised that if I wasn't me and saw all the crap written on this blog, there's no way I would read it.

I've decided to stop boring you with my life, and instead I am going to only do music reviews from now on.

If there's anything you want me to review let me know and I will.

go.

heat driving goodbyes

on monday, three factors stood out.

#1 heat
Jo, Sam and I drove to rouse hill for megan's 19th picnic. and it was hot.
probably the hottest i've been all year. and we where there for probably about 4 hours.
plus I was sick so it was pretty crap. the company was lovely though.

this looks like a pretty random photo but that's megan in the middle

#2 driving
I drove so much.
to rouse hill and back (via jo and sam's house)
then to the city, then to cremorne point (which took us an hour when it should have taken 10mins)
then back to sam's and back home.

#3 goodbyes
Joe is leaving on Wednesday for a year and had a post-21st drinks night at his house monday night. Jo and I didn't go due to sickness/bad moodness but picked Sam up with the double-agenda of saying bye to Joe.
We got there as Joe's other friends left but ended up staying after as he insisted we have cocktails (in my case a mocktail).
We all reminised of The Wharf; speaking of how strange it was that 3 months ago we hadn't even met, and he got us to sign his Wharf cast picture.
Then there were big hugs and cheezy words all 'round, leaving us with warm fuzzies and making us feel a little sad.
With promises that he would invade the Ryde area when he got back, and insisting we get skype, we left around 2.

sam, tanya, joe, calvin, me, megan, deb, random head.

I probably won't write about The Wharf any more. It's been a big part of my life this year and, while the friendships are still continuing and ramifications are still present, Joe's leaving signifies an end.

Thank you for tolerating it.

music fame and hashbrowns in 26 hours

my last two days pretty much went like this:

11am-4pm homebake
On Saturday I went with Janelle, Louise, Timmy c and Jeremy.
I saw The Middle East (awesome as usual) and a bit of bridezilla (which likewise made me jealous as heck)

4pm-8pm transport and buying presents

8pm-12midnight Joe's house
Joanna and I got to Joe's 21st and knew no one.
Luckily a tonne of people recognised us from the wharf and gave us this "15 seconds of fame" kinda feeling. They'd come up to us and say "I know you don't know me, but I feel like I know you". Which I totally get because I feel like that about artists and actors all the time but I didn't ever expect it to happen to me.
So we had some great conversations with Joe's friends, I spoke to one lady who works as a recruiter and she was giving me tips on how to get into music jouralisim which was great.
There where a few brilliant speeches and everyone was just basically overwhelmed (as am I) about how talented, humble, kind and awesome Joe is.

12midnight-4am megas
The plan here was for a bunch of people to catch a bus to cremorne hotel (more commonly known as "megas") and a bunch of people to walk up together.
So a bunch of people caught the bus while others drove leaving Jo, Joe, Sam and I to walk. So there was Joe, on his 21st, walking with us - of all people - to a pub that all his friends where already at.

We got there, and there was this man who played old songs on the piano, causing us to link arms in a big circle, sway and scream out lyrics until we could speak no longer.

We then sat around, surprisingly enough, with Joe and chatted until we where told to leave.

tim, sam, joe, deb and i (i'm not some random photo-bomber, these are actually my friends - as much as this photo would like to suggest otherwise :s)

4am-6am maccas
The pub closed at 4 and the few who hadn't ditched (about 30 at this point) headed over to maccas. They had started to serve the breakfast menu which was exciting.
and SAM HAD HIS FIRST HASHBROWN EVER!
The original plan was to go to the beach but most of us where pretty tired by this point.
Jo, Deb and I caught a taxi back to Joe's to find half a dozen people lying around his house.

They slowly left as we slowly fell asleep.

6am-12noon sleep
Jo, Sam and I fell asleep on the floor and everybody else left. We woke up to have breakfast with Joe's family and Chris who had left and then come back.

My mouth tasted like tyre and my hair felt like a farm yard.

post-party naps and showers where well enjoyed.

anyone fancy a drink?

Something I've been thinking about recently is Christians in pubs, mainly because, since I've started uni I've been going to pubs more and more frequently.

Firstly I don't get what people think pubs are. I think people have this picture in their head of drunked sleezy men and a place people go just to get drunk. Honestly, my experience of pubs have been more closely related to How I met Your Mother - everyone sitting around, having a chat. That can or cannot involve alcohol and in my experience, often avoids drukedness.




I get if that kind of thing isn't peoples scene and they don't like the idea of sitting around having a chat, but I don't get when people, especially Christians, shy away from it just because of this picture they have formed in their head.

I've had some absolutely awesome times at pubs, with non-christians and christians.
Eg. I went with Ruth and Kate one night and it was honestly this amazingly encouraging experience. I got to sit down and chat with two of my sisters. I think Ruth and Kate had a drink each and they have this awesome deal at Epping RSL where if you're driving, soft-drinks are a dollar, and as designated driver I took advantage of this :)
we were out before 11 and didn't leave our seats the whole time.
So there's seedy drunkedness for you.

Furthermore, with non-Christians.
Eg. I had this awesome talk with I guy I had just met; he used to go to church but doesn't any longer and we had this big talk about what he thinks of God and Christians and church. A big part of his decision to not be a Christian was because he "just wants to have fun" and by being there, having fun, I was able to break down this awful Christian steryotype that says all Christians go to sleep before 8, don't watch TV and condem all those who drink.

Additionally, I was able to show him the love of Christ by shouting him a beer and making a clear statement that I wasn't going to get drunk.
It's in these situations that people have literally told me things such as "I thought all Christians where judgemental, but you aren't"
When I started to go out, I met all these people who are so open to the gospel and don't shy away from talking about it - I have had numerous fantastic opportunities to share the gospel and Christ's love with people who I would normaly have no contact with.


Now before we all think Polly condones drukedness, I want to make my point clear.
don't go out drinking with non-Christian friends if you have a temptaion to drink too much.
furthermore, be careful that you don't drink too much when you go out.
don't condone the hedonistic life-style that you're friends have;
but like Jesus hanging out with sinners, be there in secular comunities so that when these people start asking questions about your actions, you have opportunities to give the reasons for the hope that you have.

And this isn't just about pubs, it's about secular comunities in general. Sporting clubs, drama societys, school in general - these are all areas where we can fall into temptation but by being different we can show the love of Christ.

Let's break the Christian sterotype and show that you can be a strong follower of Christ and not have to rejet yourself from secular society.

Be in the world - not of the world.

"In your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have."

"They think it strange that you do not plunge with them into the same flood of dissipation"

tattoos, books, buskers, piercings, and santa

Today,

I went into the city with Jess and Corey for Jess to get her tatt.
She got "Start A Riot" in cursive on her lower left back.
Corey is heavily tattooed and was there to show us the ropes and try to convince me to get one.
I think one day I will, but I'd like to get a matching one with someone (as lame as that sounds) cause Liam and I where talking about getting matching ones and I reckon that'd be cool.



Corey and I then dragged Jess and Tom (who had since joined us) around newtown to this awesome book shop. It's 2 levels of books and each isle is about a meter wide. Books are EVERYWHERE and just piled up. There's sections of styles but you usually have to dig if you're looking for something good. And they're all second hand and really cheap. I picked up the next two anne of green gables that I want to read for $13 together. And it's open till midnight which is pretty cool.
I could honestly spend all day in there if you let me, but unfortunatley the book store wasn't Jess and Tom's scene so we bailed and sat in a park eating icecream.



Wow what a boring post, good on you if you've stayed with me thus far.

When we where walking we saw a bunch of environmentalist uni-aged guys sitting on old chairs having a jam. Corey and I vowed that we'd do something similar and uni next year to make it a more interesting place.

Then on the way home Corey was suddenly inspired to get a piercing, so he got his lip pierced. I was inches away from getting my nose done, but the 80 odd dollars it would have cost me I couldn't really afford. And I'm thinking about getting the lip done too. It kind of changes your whole look if you get your lip done but I reckon I could pull it off in a hippy kinda way. Let me know what you think on the nose and lip front.

After that I rushed home to get ready for Debs Christmas party.
Jo, Sam and I rocked up together assuring ourselves that even though we didn't know anyone there, we'd have eachother. Luckily on our arrival we found out that Tim and Joe - despite going to Deb's uni, knew no one either.
People where all dressed as elves, santa or in red and green. And then there was Joe who tied a bit of tinsel around his wrist.
We didn't really do more than sit around and have a few drinks but it was still fun.

MLIA.